[Katinka]

Thanks to all! <3 Solo has its outward hazards but huge inner rewards! I wrote up my knee miracle as a short piece of creative non-fiction and am going to try to get it published.

[sarbar]

I am a woman. I love hiking, and I love wildlife - but also harbor no qualms about removing them if need be. Took rural living to teach me that simple lesson in life* *Having said that, bear is not something I desire to hunt nor eat - it's too human like once the pelt is removed, and is far too greasy. There is a reason certain areas for hiking have hunting seasons though - like where we live, just across the street they close it down for a number of weeks in late fall/early winter to take deer. The deer are so thick here they run into cars nearly daily in fall. Hunting keeps the numbers manageable, so they don't starve/die of disease. In some areas black bear numbers are vast. Allowing a few to be harvested isn't the worse thing that can happen. However, bear hunting isn't easy - and most are not bringing one back. Question is....did they bother you, did that they were hunting bother you, or was it that they had rifles that really bothered? And yeah, they were goofing with you - of course they said patronizing stuff, because they knew you'd get huffy......I am sure they got a huge laugh after it and labeled you a "City Slicker Liberal". You know it's just simple human nature and comedic writing in that. I carry when I hike, but I don't open carry and being a short woman, no one gives it heed. Once had a backwoods gent apologize to me on a remote section of the PCT if his open carry cowboy pistol scared me - being that I was alone. I flashed him mine and he smiled back. And off I went. Mine was bigger, but hey....... At least I didn't get labeled a city slicker. So there was that.

[treeswarper]